


Just a job

by Runaans



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Hurt No Comfort, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 07:57:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14588514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runaans/pseuds/Runaans
Summary: Noctis discovers what his three friends really think about him





	Just a job

Noctis almost cried out of relief when he heard Prompto interrupt Gladio and Ignis, telling them they needed to quit talking about Noctis how they were, at least, until he continued speaking.

“I mean, he's gonna be here soon right? Don't want him to hear this.”

Gladio snorted in response. “Please, he's always late. Besides, we'd hear the brat coming a mile away.”

Noctis felt like his heart was in his throat. He had made sure he was going to be on time today, knowing it was the only time they would all four be together for absolute certain this month, he wanted all the time he could spend with his.... friends.

“If he doesn't learn to be punctual soon.... well, I for one dread the day the he becomes king.”

“At least we know he'll be a good king with how emotionless he is.”  
  
“Yeah, until he makes an inappropriate joke.”

Laughter from all three of them filled his ears as he turned and ran, not hearing his phone ringing as he ran back to his home, flinging the door open so hard he heard the wall crack before it swung shut, locking automatically as his bag hit the floor.

The next day he was awake when Ignis showed up, already dressed and ready to head to school. He had nothing to say to Ignis when he spoke to him, just told him he hadn't slept well (not a total lie) and had decided to just get up, he refused to answer any further questions, telling him it was fine and he would be fine. How could he trust the man he had known longest after what he heard last night?

“You have a council meeting after school today, I'll be picking you up so please, try not to delay us too much.”

“I'll be out in time.” He answered softly, sliding out of the car and shutting the door behind him, giving Prompto a small forced smile as the man greeted him as if he hadn't been talking bad about him the night before.

True to his word, he was waiting with Prompto near the gates when Ignis pulled up, giving them both a ride to the Citadel, where Prompto was undergoing Crownsguard training.

The next week continued in this fashion, Noctis pushing himself to not do all the things they hated, to be on time, to clean his apartment, going to all the meetings he was scheduled to go to. He didn't complain during training, didn't make jokes during it either, he studied, but none of it sank in. His grades only stayed up due to sheer luck, but he was also certain someone had been paying his way through school for a while. Noctis never tried to find out though, knowing Ignis would learn immediately and go out of his way to hide it if that was happening. He didn't invite Prompto over, or turn him down when he asked to have a sleep over, and he could see the difference in all their behavior. Ignis seemed happier, Prompto was less jumpy, and Gladio wasn't as pissy

It continued for nearly two weeks, the day of his and Promptos graduation finally the day he broke.

“I'm proud of you, Noctis, you've really grown up lately, in fact-”  
“Shut up.”

Silence fell across the room as Ignis removed his hand from Noctis' shoulder, a look of surprise on his face.

“I'm so fucking sick of this.” Noctis continued, pushing himself up to his feet, moving away from Prompto.  
“B-buddy?” Prompto looked nervous, Gladio looked slightly angry, and Ignis was forcing himself to appear emotionless. But he was the bad friend, right?

“I heard you guys. That night we were all going to go for dinner. Heard you talking about horrible and spoiled I am, how much you detest me, hate how I am.”

“Now hold on-”

“I said shut up Ignis.”

Gladio moved from his spot, anger clear on his face. “You think that because you're the prince you can talk to him like that?”

“I think that because I'm human I should be able to trust those I called my friends!” Noctis shot back, fists shaking at his side.  
“We are your friends Noct! You misheard us is all!” Prompto was standing as well now, in the middle of Ignis and Gladio, all three staring at him.  
“Did I now? I listened for a few minutes, first thing I heard was “Six damn that insufferable shithead prince”, I finally left when you guys started laughing because you think I would make a joke while in council.”

The three of them shared glances, Ignis opening his mouth, no doubt to make another excuse.

“I don't want your excuses!” Noctis said before a sound could escape. “I want to be able to trust you! You're my advisor, Ignis. I'm supposed to be able to trust and come to you for advice, how can I do that when you go around talking about me behind my back? And Gladio, you're supposed to be my shield, if I can't trust you to not go behind my back for these sorts of things, how can I possibly trust you to have it in battle?”

A harsh laugh slipped through his lips as he turned away slightly, hiding the tears building in one of his eyes. “And the one person I thought really wanted to be around me because I wasn't his job? Because he actually wanted to be near me? How can you pretend to want to be my friend right to my face and then turn around and talk about how much you actually dislike nearly every single thing about me Prompto?”

His voice cracked, tears slipping down his face finally as he reached up, wiping them away harshly. He didn't realize Ignis had moved until there was a hand on his shoulder.

“Highness, I am so-”  
  
A loud crack rang through the room as Noctis spun, hitting his hand hard.   
“I trusted you! All of you! How can I continue to trust you to help me rule when you can't even come to me and tell me I do things you dislike? How can I trust you to be my friend and listen, and keep it to yourself when I have a terrible day when you tell people everything I say?”

Noctis stopped, breathing heavily, head down as he refused to look at them.

“Get out.”  
  
“Noct-”

“Highne-”  
  
“Bud-”

“Thats an order.”

Silence, then they all silently left, door swinging shut behind them. Noctis finally allowed himself to truly break, falling onto the floor, curling up into a tight ball and crying.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't actually write hurt no comfort fics, but I needed an out for some feelings and what better way to vent than to hurt to a character I relate to?  
> Please note: this is not at all how I view these characters relationships, writing them in such a way was difficult as I interpret them all in totally different ways than how I wrote them in this. I didn't want to give it a happy ending because as I said its a vent fic, until I feel better about how *I* feel in my situation, Noctis doesn't get a happy ending for this fic.  
> God bless the ability to write a fic and shove the characters into a situation nearly identical to the one you're in!


End file.
